Chesapeake Bay Regional Action Plans Development Guidelines

Published:

January 4, 1997

Originator:

Chesapeake Bay Program

EPA Number:

EPA 903-R-97-012

The 1994 Chesapeake Bay Basinwide Toxics and Prevention Strategy emphasized using a regional focus to address chemical contaminant-related problems in the Chesapeake Bay. Guided by the objective, Direct reduction and prevention actions toward regions with known toxic problems as well as areas where significant potential exists for toxic impacts on living resources and habitats, and more directly involve the locally affected community and stakeholders, the Chesapeake Bay Program is establishing a process for characterizing and designating areas as Regions of Concern (e.g., areas with known chemical contamiinant-related impacts), and developing Regional Action Plans to guide the cooperative efforts needed to restore and protect the designated Regionss of Concern. This guidance document presents and overview of the regional actiton planning process and an approach for developing Regional Action Plans. A separate document (see Appendix A-Chesapeake Bay Chemical Contaminant Geographical Targeting Protocol [Chesapeake Bay Program, 1995] describes the process the Chesapeake Bay program will use to identify Regions of Concern within the Chesapeake Bay basin.